Amnesty International Urges Probe of Alleged Human Rights Abuses in South-East

Amnesty International has called on the Federal Government to launch prompt, thorough, independent, impartial, transparent and effective investigations into allegations of widespread human rights violations and abuses in Nigeria's South-East, urging authorities to prosecute all those found culpable through fair trials without recourse to the death penalty.

The organisation made the call while presenting its report titled "Human Rights and Accountability in the South-East Zone" in Awka, Anambra State, during the weekend.

Presenting the report on behalf of Amnesty International Nigeria, Mr. Maurice Chukwu said the organisation documented alleged abuses committed by both state and non-state actors, including security agencies, the state-backed Ebube Agu militia, so-called "unknown gunmen," and members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN).

According to the report, an estimated 1,840 people were victims of alleged extrajudicial killings across the South-East between January 2021 and June 2023, based on the organisation's research.

Mr. Chukwu said the report also documented killings allegedly carried out by armed herders during grazing-related conflicts in parts of Enugu and Ebonyi states, as well as evidence of armed groups taking control of communities, displacing residents and forcing out traditional rulers in areas including Agwa and Izombe in Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State, and Lilu in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State.

The report further highlighted the activities of cult groups allegedly operating with minimal resistance amid a thriving drug trade in communities such as Obosi, Awka, Onitsha, Ogidi and Umuoji in Anambra State.

According to Amnesty International, between January 2021 and December 2024, the South-East witnessed widespread violence, unlawful killings, attacks, torture and other forms of ill-treatment, enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests and detention, internal displacement and restrictions on freedom of movement.

Mr. Chukwu stated that armed groups have repeatedly attacked security personnel since 2020, resulting in the deaths of both security operatives and civilians, while thousands of residents have reportedly suffered killings, torture, arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances, displacement and other serious human rights violations.

The organisation also alleged that Nigerian authorities have continued to crack down on suspected IPOB supporters, documenting cases of unlawful killings, excessive use of force, torture, arbitrary arrests, prolonged detention, enforced disappearances and unfair trials.

It further alleged that security agencies arbitrarily arrested suspected IPOB members, forcibly disappeared some individuals and detained others in undisclosed facilities.

Amnesty International called on the Federal Government to ensure victims and their families have access to justice and effective remedies, including restitution, compensation, rehabilitation, satisfaction and guarantees of non-repetition.

The organisation also urged authorities to strengthen safeguards against unlawful killings, arbitrary arrests, incommunicado detention, torture, enforced disappearances, extrajudicial executions and unlawful airstrikes allegedly committed by security forces.

It further appealed to the government to promptly inform families of persons arrested by security agencies or Ebube Agu operatives in the South-East of the whereabouts and condition of their relatives.

Amnesty International recommended that enforced disappearance be criminalised under Nigerian law in line with the country's obligations under the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance.

The organisation further called for independent investigations into all allegations of torture and other forms of ill-treatment, insisting that anyone reasonably suspected of responsibility should face justice through fair trials without the application of the death penalty.

It also urged authorities to provide timely alternative accommodation, humanitarian assistance and financial support to victims displaced by forced evictions and the destruction of their homes, with interventions tailored to the needs of affected communities.

On education, the report called on government authorities to ensure that no child is denied access to learning because of the sit-at-home order.

"Ensure that no student is denied access to education as a result of the sit-at-home order. If students and teachers are unable to access schools, develop and implement innovative ways for them to continue learning remotely," the report stated.

Amnesty International disclosed that its researchers conducted both physical and telephone interviews with more than 100 survivors and relatives of victims, alongside consultations with civil society organisations, lawyers and religious leaders across the region.

The organisation, however, said its requests for meetings with the governors of the five South-East states received no response, except from the Anambra State Government, which acknowledged receipt of the request but did not grant a meeting.

According to the report, insecurity in the South-East is complex and involves multiple actors who exploit competing narratives to advance their interests.

It described the violence as a combination of political and criminal activities, noting that the so-called "unknown gunmen" frequently carry out random attacks across the region rather than coordinated assaults specifically directed at the Nigerian state.

"The 'unknown gunmen' are, in many cases, known individuals within the communities where they operate," the report stated.

Amnesty International further maintained that there is no clear distinction between the activities of the so-called unknown gunmen and IPOB/ESN, alleging that both have been implicated in serious human rights violations and abuses.

The report also stated that the police appear unable to effectively tackle insecurity or carry out arrests in some parts of the South-East, particularly Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State, following sustained attacks on security personnel.

Source: The Sun

Tags: #HumanRights #SouthEastNigeria #AmnestyInternational